National

Uber Driver Charged With Sexual Assault After Attack In Markham, Ont.

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 27 Apr, 2016 11:39 AM

MARKHAM, Ont. — A man driving for the popular ride-hailing company Uber has been charged with sexual assault after an alleged attack on a passenger.

York Regional Police say the incident happened shortly after midnight on Tuesday morning when a woman in her 30s used the Uber app to arrange a ride in Richmond Hill, just north of Toronto.

Police say the driver took the woman to a parking lot in nearby Markham where she was allegedly sexually assaulted.

Police say 30-year-old Ahmadfayim Bayat is now charged with one count of sexual assault.

They say Uber has been co-operative in the investigation.

Bayat is due in court later today for a bail hearing.

Susie Heath, a spokeswoman for Uber, said in an email that the company takes "every safety incident very seriously and are committed to the safety of everyone who uses Uber."

"Upon hearing of this disturbing incident, we immediately removed the driver from the platform and contacted York Regional Police to offer our assistance and have supported them in their investigation," she added.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Matthew Hutchinson, B.C. Student Killed In New York Remembered By Junior Hockey Team As Leader

A junior hockey team in Chilliwack, B.C., is remembering a former player who once dressed as Santa Claus for a gift exchange and is now among the victims in a murder-suicide that left three people dead in New York state.

Matthew Hutchinson, B.C. Student Killed In New York Remembered By Junior Hockey Team As Leader

Four Alberta Snowmobilers Rescued In B.C. Could Be Facing Big Price Tag

Four male snowmobilers from Alberta could be facing a hefty price tag after they had to be rescued on the weekend from Quartz Creek, west of Golden, B.C.

Four Alberta Snowmobilers Rescued In B.C. Could Be Facing Big Price Tag

No Parole For Stanley Tippett, Convicted Of Attack On 12-Year-Old Ontario Girl

The Parole Board of Canada says Stanley Tippett remains "an untreated sex offender" who has not addressed his risk to reoffend.

No Parole For Stanley Tippett, Convicted Of Attack On 12-Year-Old Ontario Girl

Coding On Deck For Grade-school Students As B.C. Unveils New Curriculum

Students in British Columbia's public elementary schools are on track to become the first generation to get basic training in computer coding as the province answers a call from its thriving tech sector.

Coding On Deck For Grade-school Students As B.C. Unveils New Curriculum

Canadians' Vulnerability To Debt Set To Climb In Coming Years: Budget Office

The parliamentary budget office released a report Tuesday predicting the ratio of debt payments — including principal and interest payments — relative to disposable income will creep upwards over the next five years as interest rates rise.